The problem of hunger in America is rapidly approaching crisis levels, affecting a great many people in a drastic and dangerous way. Then why isn’t it receiving more widespread attention? Hunger has become an ever-increasing problem following the start of the economic recession in 2008, largely attributable to job losses. Those in rural areas where jobs are more scarce have been hit the hardest. We are nearing a crucial tipping point as food prices escalate and more people rely on government assistance and charities for food. Looming budget cuts to government-assistance programs and food subsidies weigh heavily on the minds of many Americans. Yet, there is no nationwide dialogue about the problem of huger and food-insecurity in the U.S.

Today in the United States one out of every five people is hungry or food-insecure. One in five Americans don’t have enough food to eat, or don’t know how and where their next meal will be provided.

According to Harvey Grady, food-security advocate and founder of Verde Food Council which addresses hunger in Yavapai County, “The United Nations declares a famine in a country when one-third of its population is deemed food-insecure. Current national poverty statistics, which tend to only describe the bulk of the population in large cities, show that one in five people are in poverty on the national level. In Arizona, the statistics for Phoenix and Tucson show one in four people are hungry and living in poverty. And that number is creeping towards one in three, particularly in Arizona’s rural counties where jobs are so hard to find.”

Despite these frightening statistics, there is very little media coverage or national discussion about the American hunger crisis. Cities and towns that rely heavily on tourism for economic survival don’t want to advertise their struggles with hunger or poverty at the risk of driving away potential tourist revenue. City councils and state officials don’t want to publicly acknowledge hunger in their communities for fear of negatively impacting economic development and future business growth. And so hunger remains our nation’s hidden shame.

“Hungry and food-insecure people aren’t deadbeats,” explains Grady. “They’re children, senior citizens, single moms, the low-income-working-poor, and people who have lost their jobs because of the economy.”

Perhaps what’s most bothersome is the deficit of federal focus on the hunger crisis. There is no national food council in the U.S., no federal plans or policies to address hunger or the immediate and future need for food. That job is left to the states, and very few have risen to the challenge. In Arizona, the only government agency addressing the food crisis is the Department of Economic Security.

Of course we have food banks, but are they sufficiently addressing the problem? At present, there are thousands of food banks in the U.S. providing food assistance, but only about a hundred food councils. During 2011, United Food Bank of Arizona distributed 19 million pounds of food. St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance reports food box distribution for Maricopa County is at an all-time high, and other smaller food banks around the state report similar statistics.

Even so, food banks only provide a “band-aid” to hunger rather than creating a long-term solution. Most operate largely on charitable donations with limited financial and human resources. They’re staffed mainly by part-time volunteers, many of whom are senior citizens or young volunteers, often inexperienced at managing large-scale food distributions. And because many food banks are established and managed by churches and other faith-based organizations, limited effort is made to coordinate with each other to address the bigger picture with long-term solutions.

Our federal government must step up by developing food plans and policies that address the larger issues: where does our food come from; who grows or produces which types of food; how is food distributed; and how much does food cost the consumer. With just a quick glance at food prices, it’s easy to see that low-income workers and those in poverty are excluded from purchasing many foods, particularly those deemed the most healthy, like organic fruits and vegetables.

How do we go about reducing the number of hungry people in our communities? One of the easiest and most obvious places to begin is at the local level.

Food banks must begin working in partnership to gain a broader view of the problem in their communities, and to develop more realistic assessments that lead to long-term solutions.

Communities must demand more co-operative gardens and school gardening programs so that these become the norm, not the exception.

State and national policies must also be developed to address food sourcing, escalating food prices, and food distribution.

Greater emphasis must be placed on sustainable agriculture, and there must be more discussion about the legislation sponsored by large corporations designed to prevent local farmers from supplying their own communities.

Most importantly, more jobs must be created, with greater emphasis in rural areas, so that people can afford to buy food.

“It’s a very daunting problem, but I feel good about what we can do at the local level,” says Grady. “It’s in the local arena that we have the best chance of making a difference. When we strategize in Yavapai County, we don’t just talk about food. We think of ideas that will help individuals get jobs, not just temporary jobs but jobs that provide economic sustainability. We think in terms of helping struggling businesses.”

In his never-ending battle against hunger and food insecurity, Grady and the Verde Food Council are working to involve the Arizona Departments of Health Services and Education with community organizations in finding solutions. The council also plans to develop a speaker’s bureau that will educate local businesses, schools and government agencies about the hunger crisis in Arizona. And he continues to work with local food banks to persuade them to move beyond their current operational methods.

“Instead of just handing a family a pre-selected box of items, food banks like St. Mary’s and United Food Bank let people choose what they will eat from the food stores they have available. But instead of being proactive, the entire system is still taking a very reactive approach. They’re doing the best with what they have, and the quality of the food they offer has improved in recent years due to funding increases. If we could develop a link between local farmers and local food banks, it would be a very positive step towards in the right direction,” Grady reports.

For more information about hunger and food-insecurity in Arizona and how you can help:

What does it take to end child hunger in Yavapai County? Cornucopia Community Advocates, under the direction of President Harvey Grady, have compiled an in-depth report on child hunger and food resources available through Yavapai County schools, child care providers and community.

With a small grant from the Arizona Community Foundation, Cornucopia Community Advocates conducted the 2011-12 Yavapai Child Hunger Survey of child care providers and public schools in the county. The survey’s purpose was to determine current estimates of the prevalence of children who are going hungry, who are malnourished, overweight/obese and/or diabetic. What began as a simple count of hungry children grew into a dynamic action plan to reduce and eliminate child hunger in our county.

A one day summit will be held at Living Streams Church in Phoenix on October 5, 2012 called “Caring for Our Children and Youth – when hungry, when in foster care, when in school.” The event will feature keynote speakers ArizonaSERVES Chair Dr. Terry M. Crist and Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton. Practical workshops and community solutions all designed for connecting the faith community to the needs of our children in youth.

Primary focus will be given to childhood hunger, foster care, and “adopting” schools.

Who should attend?

Organization/Ministry leaders looking for greater impact

Individuals and families looking for greater impact

Anyone who is looking to help hungry children

Anyone who is looking to help foster children and their families

Anyone who is looking to help children along side of school administrators and teachers

Anyone interested in better connections to existing systems of care for children

The “Future of Food” breakfast at The Wigwam in Litchfield Park, Arizona, highlighted local programs and partnerships working to improve access to healthy food. State and local officials as well as nutrition, agriculture and other experts focused on the best ideas, innovations and initiatives for providing more equitable access to nutritious food, particularly for children. [click to continue…]

Jamie Oliver gives a TED Talk on obesity in the United States, and gives viewers common sense recommendations for alleviating this problem. If the video does not work properly, please view it at this web address: http://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver.html

Map the Meal Gap Interactive Map reveals that over 466,000 children in Arizona are food insecure. This report shows that children in every county and congressional district in America are at risk of hunger.

One in five Americans, or about 60 million people, do not eat or drink anything in the morning before 11 a.m., according to a new analysis by The NPD Group; and millions more opt for nutrient-poor choices on the run. This is despite the fact that studies repeatedly show that skipping breakfast makes it nearly impossible to achieve adequate daily intakes of key nutrients.

Are you the one in those five? If so, we want to help you rethink breakfast! There are many reasons why breakfast should be a part of your day:

Recharge your brain & body – studies show that breakfast helps you concentrate, focus and gives you energy to tackle the day. It helps kids learn and behave better in the classroom.

Achieve & maintain a healthy weight – people who skip breakfast actually end up eating more calories throughout the day and tend to weigh more.

Be a role model – children and teens are most likely to skip breakfast, which is devastating to their health. If you make it a priority, they will follow your lead.

Bond with your family – although mornings can be chaotic, all you need is a few minutes to eat together so you can bond and feel good knowing your kids are getting off to a right start.

In choosing healthy options for breakfast, milk makes the meal. Milk is the most naturally nutritious drink you could have, with nine essential nutrients, including calcium, potassium and vitamin D, three nutrients that the USDA says Americans need more of. It’s also packed with protein to stay full and satisfied. Plain and simple, it’s not breakfast without Shamrock Farms milk and here’s a few quick ways you can incorporate milk into breakfast:

Have milk with whole-grain cereal

Make oatmeal with milk instead of water

Make pancakes with milk instead of water

Make a smoothie with milk and fruit

Enjoy a glass with whole-wheat toast and almond butter

Grab a single-serve milk and cereal bar

Kids are the population most affected by missing the critical nutrients breakfast and milk can provide. To encourage your family, and all Arizona families, to start off your day right with milk for breakfast, Shamrock Farms is celebrating National Breakfast Week by visiting Phoenix-area schools and serving milk and whole-grain cereal to kids. Our celebration is inspired by the new “got milk?” Breakfast Project campaign to help Americans change their view on breakfast. Check out their website for tons of tips and recipes for breakfast.

And we’re taking it a step further. While most vulnerable children have access to free or reduced cost breakfast at school through the school year, options are limited during the summer. In an effort to supplement summer breakfast programs, we’re hosting a Facebook “Like” drive to earn servings of milk for children in need. For every new Facebook user to “Like” Shamrock Farms from now until April 30, one 8-oz serving of nutrient-rich milk, up to 10,000 servings, will be donated to the Arizona Partnership to End Childhood Hunger, which in turn will distribute the milk to affiliated summer breakfast programs throughout the state.

If you’re not a Shamrock Farms fan on Facebook, please like us now and help us achieve our fundraising goal. And tomorrow, rethink your breakfast and make the right choice!

RSVP Today!
This information-packed conference is a must for food banks and emergency food providers, anti-hunger advocates and organizations, the faith community, and many others. Get the latest information you need, be motivated and inspired by the efforts to serve Arizonans struggling with hunger and poverty, and network with your peers. Make plans to join us today!

Social Newsroom to Drive Conversation Around Child Hunger and Help Influencers and Media Better Understand the Issue of Child Hunger in America
Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, announced today the launch of its Child Hunger Newsroom, a new way for advocates to access, share and distribute information about child hunger. The Child Hunger Newsroom will serve as a repository for official Feeding America news and announcements, facts about child hunger and ways for social influencers like bloggers and online advocates to get involved and inform their audiences. The newsroom will also aggregate news stories and blog and social media posts about child hunger from across the United States, bringing the conversation to one convenient location.

“No child should worry about where their next meal will come from,” said Vicki Escarra, Feeding America’s President and CEO. “Nutrition is critical to children’s physical development and to their ability to concentrate and succeed in the classroom. The Child Hunger Newsroom provides the facts and information that our friends and advocates and the news media need to tell the story of child hunger in the United States and the importance of getting nutritious food into the hands of every child.”
Earlier this month, Feeding America launched its Blogger Council, a group of online hunger-relief advocates that will help spread the word about food insecurity in the United States and solutions to the problem. The Child Hunger Newsroom is a key resource for these advocates, providing information and aggregating content from across the Web. The newsroom launched with child hunger facts and comprehensive information about Feeding America’s BackPack Program, which provides food for children over weekends and school holidays.

Join the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to learn more about how you can help feed children next summer and hear the benefits to being a part of the Summer Food Service Program!

Youth Service America (YSA) improves communities by increasing the number and the diversity of young people, ages 5-25, serving in substantive roles. Founded in 1986, YSA supports a global culture of engaged youth committed to a lifetime of service, learning, leadership, and achievement. The impact of YSA’s work through service and service-learning is measured in student achievement, workplace readiness, and healthy communities. For more information, visit www.YSA.org. [click to continue…]

Choosing between buying food or paying for shelter – is the grim reality for many Arizonans. The current economic conditions have put more individuals and families into distress than at any other time in our state’s history. But VSUW has a vision to turn things around. The goal is simple: end hunger in Maricopa County. Learn more here.

Food security is defined as the access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food insecurity is a growing public health problem in the United States. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), as of 2009, food insecurity affects about 17.4 million United States households (14.7% of all households) (Nord, Coleman-Jensen, Andrews, & Carlson, 2010), the highest level since the USDA began tracking food security levels in 1995. Among households with children, 8.4 million, or 21.3%, were food insecure at some time during 2009. Children raised in food-insecure households are at increased risk for a wide array of negative health outcomes including compromised immune functioning, increased risk for infections, and somatic complaints. Children raised in food-insecure households are also at increased risk for academic and socio-emotional difficulties (Cook & Frank, 2008). Household Food Insercurity Serious Concerns for Child Development

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2011 – Today, USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon invited children across America to show the country what they or their peers are doing to help end childhood hunger in their school or community by entering the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Ending Childhood Hunger Video Contest.

FNS is looking for original student videos of two minutes or less that show creative ways they or their peers are tackling the problem of childhood hunger or an innovative idea they have that would contribute to the goal of ending childhood hunger in America. The winning videos will be showcased online and will serve to inspire students across the country to take action on the issue of childhood hunger.

“If we want to build our nation for the future then we need to make sure our kids are healthy and strong today,” said Concannon. “We can start by ending childhood hunger and working to make sure all of our kids have the nutrition they need. We are excited to learn what valuable ideas kids across America have to contribute to addressing this need that touches the nation’s most important resource – our children.”

USDA’s most recent data shows that while in most households, children were protected from substantial reductions in food intake, children experienced very low food security in about 386,000 households (1 percent of households with children) in 2010. In these households, one or more children do not get enough to eat – they had to cut the size of their meals, skip meals, or even go whole days without food at some time during the year.

To tackle this challenge, last year FNS launched the Ending Childhood Hunger initiative, which included a Stakeholder Guide of ideas about what people can do locally to reduce hunger, an online commitment drive encouraging people to commit to taking a specific action to reduce hunger locally, and a volunteer portal on serve.gov/endhunger.

The video contest launched today as part of Hunger Action Month, is yet another way for communities to engage in the issue and inspire others around the country to act. The contest is open to students from first through twelfth grade. FNS judges will determine the top 12 finalists in three categories: elementary, middle/junior high, and high schools. The public will vote on the finalists to determine the top two winners in each category. Winners will be promoted through various FNS channels including the FNS website, the USDA blog, local and national press releases, Facebook, Twitter, a national webinar, and the FNS Outreach Coalition annual meeting. Videos must be two minutes or less and meet other contest criteria, and be submitted no later than Oct. 21, 2011. For additional information and details on contest rules, please visit the contest webpage at http://endhunger.challenge.gov.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service administers 15 nutrition assistance programs, including the National School Lunch Program; the School Breakfast Program; the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children; and the Summer Food Service Program. Taken together, these programs comprise America’s nutrition safety net.

During the first Arizona Hunger Action Week on Sept. 12-18, 2011, individuals, groups, nonprofits, businesses, schools and the faith community are called to join forces and fight hunger in communities throughout Arizona. It’s easy to get involved and make a difference! [click to continue…]

Summer is in full swing, and it’s time for some healthy competition! Around the country, local organizations from churches to community centers are busy serving meals to kids through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a federally-funded program that provides free, nutritious meals and snacks to help children in low-income areas get the nutrition they need throughout the summer months when school is not in session. [click to continue…]

In 2010, usage of the Salt River Food Distribution Program (SRFDP) was at an all-time high. Although emergency demand has steadied during fiscal year 2011, the SRFDP is still seeing an average increase in usage of 11 percent, making 2011 a new all-time high. More staggering is the fact that between 2008 and 2010, the annual usage of the SRFDP has increased by 70 percent. [click to continue…]

FRAC Releases New Analysis of Gallup Data on Food Hardship through 2010, with Rates for the Nation, Regions, States, 100 Large Metropolitan Areas, and Every Congressional District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jennifer Adach, 202-986-2200 x3018

Washington, D.C. – March 3, 2011 – Nearly one in five Americans struggled to afford enough food for themselves and their families in 2010, according to a new report (pdf) released today by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). The report also reveals the extent of this struggle through 2010 in every congressional district and 100 of the country’s largest metropolitan areas (MSA), providing a unique up-to-date examination of how millions of American households in every part of the country continue to face a struggle with hunger. [click to continue…]

States are currently facing unprecedented challenges. Budgets are shrinking at the exact moment that the needs of residents, and particularly low-income and unemployed residents, are greatest. It will take both states and residents some time to fully recover. The times necessitate well-thought-out policy choices that most effectively take advantage of existing resources. Ideally, solutions developed during times of limited resources will inform the best use of more plentiful resources when times are good again. [click to continue…]

FRAC Statement: Release of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010

Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) jointly released the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. Congress has required that the Dietary Guidelines are revised every five years to provide evidence-based guidance to promote health, reduce chronic disease risk, and reduce obesity prevalence among Americans two years of age and older. They serve as the foundation for federal nutrition programs and educational efforts – directing, for example, what is served in school meals, offered in the WIC food package, and included in SNAP/Food Stamp educational materials. [click to continue…]

YSA will award 100 Sodexo Youth Grants of $500 each to support youth-led service projects in the United States that address the issue of childhood hunger on Global Youth Service Day (April 15-17, 2011.) We’re looking for projects that engage your peers, friends, families, neighbors, Sodexo employees, and other community members in creative, youth-inspired solutions to ending childhood hunger in your community. [click to continue…]

How To Get Food Help is a low literacy, clear language brochure targeted at consumers who may be new to navigating social services and assistance applications.

The brochure clearly explains all FNS programs that consumers apply to directly, and it gives them basic information to identify which programs might be right for them. It also gives basic next steps to get them started in the application process, as well as links and toll-free numbers for more information. How To Get Food Help will be a useful tool to add to your outreach strategy. [click to continue…]

USDA and HHS Announce New Dietary Guidelines to Help Americans Make Healthier Food Choices and Confront Obesity Epidemic

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2011 — Agriculture Secretary TomVilsack and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius today announced the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the federal government’s evidence-based nutritional guidance to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity. [click to continue…]

The Nogales Community Food Bank celebrated the opening of its new facility at 2636 Donna Avenue with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 9.

The food bank says its new home in a 10,000-square-foot warehouse strategically located off Produce Row allows for a more timely response to picking up donations from local produce brokers, who have traditionally been generous supporters of its efforts.

“The new location will allow the Nogales Community Food Bank to accept more donations due to the larger storage space,” Executive Director Arthur Espinoza said in a news release. “Since the Food Bank is now serving over 2,500 clients per month, the additional space will help a great deal.” [click to continue…]

Washington, D.C. – January 13, 2011 – Record numbers of low-income children received school meals during the 2009-2010 school year, but the number of children eating breakfast continues to lag by much too wide a margin the number of children eating lunch. Less than half (47.2 percent) of low-income children who received school lunch also participated in the breakfast program, according to the Food Research and Action Center’s annual School Breakfast Scorecard. The Scorecard provides FRAC’s analysis of federal and state government data, plus a survey of officials. [click to continue…]

“School Breakfast Detectives” Book Cover Contest

New this year is a design contest, where students will have the opportunity to design their own school breakfast detective in the form of a book cover. Students also title the book with a healthy eating spin e.g. “The Case of the Missing Breakfast”.

Washington, D.C. – December 29, 2010 – New data show that in nearly every state, at least one in seven respondents reported in first half of 2010 that there were times during the prior twelve months that they did not have enough money to buy food that they needed for themselves or their family, according to the Food Research and Action Center’s (FRAC) analysis of data from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. [click to continue…]

Holidays bring to mind many things, among them, food. But what about the families struggling to put nutritious meals on their table? Just in time for the Holiday season, we have FitFoods.org, a single webpage featuring hundreds of services by local organizations and agencies addressing food insecurity. [click to continue…]

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2010 – Kevin Concannon, USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services joined Sesame Workshop for their launch of a multimedia outreach initiative, “Food for Thought: Eating Well on a Budget,” designed to help low-income families cope with limited access to affordable and nutritious food. [click to continue…]

For more than a quarter-century The U.S. Conference of Mayors has reported to the nation on the status of hunger and homelessness in America’s cities. The Conference’s annual surveys and reports are the subjects of national news reports, and their contribution to raising national awareness of these problems is widely recognized. Conference members appreciate the fact that, in recent years, this effort has been strengthened substantially by a partnership with Sodexo, a world leader in food and facilities management. [click to continue…]

“This is an historic victory for our nation’s youngsters. This legislation will allow USDA, for the first time in over 30 years, the chance to make real reforms to the school lunch and breakfast programs by improving the critical nutrition and hunger safety net for millions of children. [click to continue…]

Kitchen on the Street is an Arizona based non-profit organization working to eliminate childhood hunger. Since our inception 4 years ago, we have successfully partnered with 10 schools and now serve 350 children each weekend through the Bags of Hope program. [click to continue…]

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2010 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today invited States to develop and test alternative methods of providing food for low-income children in urban and rural areas during the summer. USDA is requesting applications to enhance the current Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) by testing and evaluating home delivery and food backpack programs designed to reduce hunger among children when school is out. [click to continue…]

Arizona Indicators is an excellent resource for educating yourself and your colleagues regarding trends in Arizona. Below you will find one example on Arizona Indicators regarding poverty. Please visit www.arizonaindicators.org to see all of the data available. [click to continue…]

Who Are America’s Poor Children? Examining Food Insecurity Among Children in the United States. Excerpt from Full Report:

Fourteen million children live in poor families (that is, families with income below the federal poverty level, which is $22,050 a year for a family of four in 2009). There is a wide body of research documenting the importance of family income for children’s health and well-being. [click to continue…]

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2010 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge to improve school meals and the health of children across the nation through the creation of exciting new recipes for inclusion on school lunch menus. The competition – part of the First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative – will draw on the talents of chefs, students, food service professionals, and parents or other community members working together to develop tasty, nutritious, kid-approved foods. [click to continue…]